Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Chaos and Determination


Yesterday was crazy at work. The high school science classes are about to check out books for winter reading, so we pulled books from several long lists we have about science-related subjects -- ecology, genetics, that kind of thing -- and put them on carts to roll up to that part of the school. By the time we were done we'd pulled and checked out more than 300 books!

And due to a technology glitch that is too tiresome to go into here, the lists the head librarian were working from were different from the lists I had, so I also had to go into our systems and manually correlate the lists, adding and subtracting books until they matched.

I wound up staying almost an hour late to get everything done and there's still a small amount to finish.


Some of the kids decorated our library Christmas tree, and I added some decorations of my own that I brought from home (remember these?). I think it looks pretty good, if not terribly distinctive.

And now, I am going to go read "Tales of Silver Lands." I am going to finish this awful book today if it's the last thing I do.

(Top photo: A wall at a construction site near Erith a few weeks ago.)

44 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

The tree looks great. I’m now singing “Where is the Love” and “Power to the People”... not very compatible rhythms.

Tasker Dunham said...

I give up on awful books these days. Time is too short.

Colette said...

The tree does look good. How nice that some of the kids decorated it. It will become a school memory they might write about someday.

jenny_o said...

That looks like a real tree (is it?) and looks nice and festive. And I do remember those little red and white people on a strand of twine - I stole that design and used it to make individual ornaments after you posted that! Sold them at the craft fair two years ago and kept one for myself :) I thought they were just so cute when you posted about them.

Three hundred books is a LOT of books to pull and schlep around! A whole fitness regime.

Bob said...

Love the Snowman tree topper.

Ms. Moon said...

I think for Christmas you should give yourself the gift of never reading another horrible book again.
Just my opinion.
I do like that tree.

Ed said...

The hole or window to look through must be on around the corner.

Sharon said...

That tree is looking very festive.

Ellen D. said...

I think that tree looks terrific! I like that you recycled those found ornaments to this tree. Sounds like a children's Christmas story of the sad ornaments finding a happy new home! :)

ellen abbott said...

Is that a real tree? And yes, busy here too.

Anonymous said...

The library Christmas tree looks lovely. I think it's sweet that some of the kids decorated it.

37paddington said...

Pretty tree.

Red said...

So ell us why this is an awful book.

Pixie said...

I think the tree looks lovely. I just found out this year, I'm 59, that some people pay other people to decorate their Christmas tree. How did I never know about this? And why would you do that? Hanging up the ornaments that you've accumulated over the years and that bring back memories is the best part.

The Padre said...

Work, I Guess It Is Why We Call It Work - But Damn Those After Work Cocktails Are Refreshing

Cheers

Margaret said...

I don't think my district allows Xmas decorations. That's a beautiful tree! I would have that for my house. I don't read terrible books unless they're for Book Club. I can't discuss them fairly if I don't finish. (in my opinion)

The Bug said...

I know everyone is saying that you shouldn't subject yourself to an awful book, but you have a GOAL and I know that I wouldn't be able to handle saying I'd finished all the Newbury books with an * for the terrible ones I didn't finish. So hopefully you can plow through it & the rest won't be as bad!

Kelly said...

The tree is a festive addition to the library. The snowman on the top is cute. :)

Allison said...

I am surprised that trees are allowed in school. Fire hazard, religious icons and all of that.

Anonymous said...

The tree looks nice, a better effort than many.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

"Where is the love?" is a good question.

Catalyst said...

I agree with YP. And I think your tree looks pretty darned good!

Steve Reed said...

I sang "Where Is the Love" all morning after posting that picture!

Steve Reed said...

I wish I could do that. I just have everlasting hope that the book will get better!

Steve Reed said...

It's true -- things that to us are just chores are memorable events for little kids!

Steve Reed said...

Yes, the tree is real! I love that you were inspired by that photo of the little dolls!

Steve Reed said...

I like it too. More secular than a star and thus better suited to an international school.

Steve Reed said...

That would be a fantastic gift! I am almost to a point where I can make myself that promise. (Since I'm almost done with this Newbery project.)

Steve Reed said...

LOL -- I didn't see one in this wall! This is a "mind your own business" construction site, I guess.

Steve Reed said...

It does brighten things up!

Steve Reed said...

I also feel good being able to put them to good use once again! I think I'll just keep them at school -- they're more likely to be used there.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, it's real!

Steve Reed said...

It's great when we can get the kids involved in something like that. As Colleen said above, it creates memories for them!

Steve Reed said...

Thank you! (On behalf of the kids!)

Steve Reed said...

Well, I mentioned this in an earlier post (I think) and in my review on the school's web site -- basically, the book is a collection of folk tales from South America. But there's no real mention of the source of many of the stories, PLUS they're boring, PLUS the writing is bad. In a nutshell.

Steve Reed said...

Really?! I'm not sure I've ever heard of that phenomenon either -- though I'm not surprised. I'm sure some people want a very polished, professional (and characterless) tree.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! That's for sure! :)

Steve Reed said...

We've never been given any guidance (as far as I'm aware) about decorations, but we tend to stick to secular ones. We do put up menorahs for Hannukah, though.

I have trouble quitting even a bad book. I'm always hopeful it will get better -- and sometimes it does.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, exactly. I could never live with myself if I knew I didn't really read them all in their entirety.

Steve Reed said...

I like that snowman too!

Steve Reed said...

Well, it's a live tree, so it's not particularly flammable. (And it gets taken down in mid-December when school lets out, before it gets very dry.) And it's not a very religious tree. There's no religious imagery on it.

Steve Reed said...

I think the kids like it.

Steve Reed said...

That's what struck me about the message -- how pertinent it is!

Steve Reed said...

I agree! The kids did a great job.